Childhood: Fugard was born on June 11th 1932 in Middleburg South Africa, a white man born of English and Afrikaner parents. Fugard attended a Catholic primary school and was awarded a scholarship to continue to higher level of education at a technical college, and then the University of Cape town. Fugard dropped out of college and married (an actress in one of his plays), only then to become employed as a court clerk. As a court clerk, Fugard witnessed the injustices of the apartheid state in South Africa.
The Playwright: Fugard's plays stretch far and wide. His works include Statements, Blood Knot, Boesman and Lena, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, The Guest, Dimetos, A Lesson from Aloes, Marigolds in August, People Are Living There, The Road to Mecca, A Place With the Pigs, My Children! My Africa!, "Master Harold"..and the boys, Hello and Goodbye, Valley Song, The Captains Tiger, Sorrows and Rejoicings, Exits and Entrances. Though many fantastic accomplishments, the political opinions that Fugard included in his plays irritated the apartheid government. To avoid prosecution, Fugard attempted and succeeded in producing his plays overseas. His plays received many awards and were crucial to the changing times in African as well as Europe. Fugard protested a segregated audience and a segregated population.
ATHOL FUGARD: playwright and political activist
Childhood: Fugard was born on June 11th 1932 in Middleburg South Africa, a white man born of English and Afrikaner parents. Fugard attended a Catholic primary school and was awarded a scholarship to continue to higher level of education at a technical college, and then the University of Cape town. Fugard dropped out of college and married (an actress in one of his plays), only then to become employed as a court clerk. As a court clerk, Fugard witnessed the injustices of the apartheid state in South Africa.
The Playwright: Fugard's plays stretch far and wide. His works include Statements, Blood Knot, Boesman and Lena, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, The Guest, Dimetos, A Lesson from Aloes, Marigolds in August, People Are Living There, The Road to Mecca, A Place With the Pigs, My Children! My Africa!, "Master Harold"..and the boys, Hello and Goodbye, Valley Song, The Captains Tiger, Sorrows and Rejoicings, Exits and Entrances. Though many fantastic accomplishments, the political opinions that Fugard included in his plays irritated the apartheid government. To avoid prosecution, Fugard attempted and succeeded in producing his plays overseas. His plays received many awards and were crucial to the changing times in African as well as Europe. Fugard protested a segregated audience and a segregated population.
Links for Additional Information:
Link including short summary of Fugard's life as a playwright. Includes names of is most controversial plays.http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/post/sa/fugard/bio1.html
Recent Play Opening "Exits and Entriances" with additional link to Fugard background
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2007/04/05/theater/reviews/05exit.html?n=Top/Reference/Times Topics/People/F/Fugard, Athol
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